Robert looked at Luffy, his gaze calm yet firm.
Outside the tavern, Garp paced anxiously, his arms crossed.
"Hey, I wonder if inviting Commissar Robert this time will finally make my grandson change his evil ways?"
Luffy had been obsessed with becoming a pirate.
No matter how much Garp lectured, yelled, or even punched, nothing worked.
He had no choice but to beg Commissar Robert to help.
After all, if anyone could educate Luffy properly, it was Robert.
Garp admired Robert's ability to change people's minds.
Even he, himself, had been affected.
There was a time when he lacked ambition, refusing every opportunity to become an Admiral.
But after talking to Robert for years, he realized—
"A soldier who doesn't want to be an Admiral is not a good soldier."
Conversations with Robert had opened Garp's eyes.
Many of his previous beliefs were wrong.
He still had room to improve.
From now on, he vowed to talk to Robert even more.
Inside the tavern, Robert was about to speak when a message suddenly appeared on the public screen.
"(Present) Shanks: No wonder Robert showed up at Windmill Village. Garp, this is your fault! Do you know how badly you've screwed us?"
For over ten years, Shanks had wondered why Robert had been there, at that exact moment.
Now he finally had his answer.
"(Present) Garp: How was I supposed to know you were visiting your old lover in Windmill Village? Besides, even if you weren't caught there, you would've been caught sooner or later. It's better this way—you get locked up early, serve your time, and get released faster."
"Commissar Robert always says we should look at things from a developmental perspective instead of being narrow-minded."
Garp sounded completely casual.
The original world's Red Hair Pirates erupted in shock.
Lakilu, the fat chef, leaned forward.
"Wait, wait, wait. Old lover? What old lover?"
Yasopp frowned, piecing things together.
"Now that I think about it… Why did we go to Windmill Village instead of the closer island?"
A memory clicked in Yasopp's mind.
"Wait—does this mean the tavern owner is…?"
Shanks had vanished every year for a few days after leaving Windmill Village.
It all made sense now.
"(Original) Shanks: What old lover?! Don't talk nonsense!"
"(Present) Shanks: Stop denying it. A real man takes responsibility. Don't be like Captain Roger and hide your kid."
"(Original) Roger: Shanks, are you picking a fight with me?!"
"(Present) Shanks: I'm just stating the truth."
The entire world exploded with reactions.
"HE JUST CALLED OUT THE PIRATE KING!"
"Haha! It's true—Roger found a woman right before he died just to have a kid!"
Pirates everywhere were laughing hysterically.
Roger had always been a legend, but no one expected him to be called out like this.
"(Original) Sengoku: Roger? You're supposed to be dead!"
"(Original) Roger: This system connects the living and the dead. I can see everything now… And Sengoku—are you seriously trying to execute my son?"
"(Original) Sengoku: He carries the blood of the Devil. He must be eliminated."
"(Original) Roger: Don't lie to me. I know your real reason. And Garp! I asked you to protect my son, not raise him as your own grandson!"
"(Original) Garp: …"
"(Original) Roger: Are you trying to make me your big brother? Do you want me to call you Dad now?!"
Roger sighed.
"I'll deal with you later. Talking like this takes too much energy for the dead. I need to rest."
The public screen erupted again.
The original Shanks was looking more and more uncomfortable.
Benn Beckman, noticing this, stepped in.
"Captain, just admit it. There's no point in hiding it anymore."
Yasopp pointed at Beckman.
"Wait—you knew about this?!"
Lakilu shook his head.
"Keeping secrets from your brothers? That's not loyal, Captain."
Shanks sighed deeply.
"(Original) Shanks: Fine. Yes, we have a child."
"(Original) Kaido: You really had a kid?! Why would you do that? If the kid grows up to be ungrateful, you'll regret it. I know I do."
"(Present) Kaido: Shut up. Yamato is extremely filial."
"(Original) Whitebeard: "I thought you were the most career-focused out of all the Four Emperors… but you actually have a child too?"
Yasopp laughed.
"Captain, you should've told us earlier! We wouldn't have let you sneak off every year. Next time, let's all go to Windmill Village together!"
The entire Red Hair Pirates cheered.
"Haha! Of course!"
Shanks looked at his crew, feeling deeply moved.
"I'll take you all out for drinks later."
At that moment—
In Windmill Village, Makino was watching the screen.
Her hands covered her mouth as tears streamed down her face.
She had suffered alone for so long.
A single mother, pregnant before marriage.
She had been lucky—the villagers were kind and never spread rumors.
But now…
She no longer had to hide it.
"(Original) Shanks: The reason I kept it secret is simple—I didn't want my child to be used as a bargaining chip by the Marines. I wanted him to live a normal life."
This statement made Sengoku uncomfortable.
"(Original) Sengoku: We only went after Ace because he became a pirate! If he had been an ordinary person, we wouldn't have done anything."
"(Present) Sengoku: Really? Without a commissar keeping you in check, you would've sacrificed anyone if it served the Marines' goals."
"If he was truly just an ordinary person, you still would've found a reason to capture him."
Sengoku from the original world gritted his teeth.
"You don't know me! You're just—me!"
"(Present) Sengoku: I was you. But after years of conversations with Commissar Robert, I became better."
The original Sengoku was furious.
There was no way mere conversations could change a person's entire worldview!
But it wasn't just one person claiming it—
Garp said it.
His alternate self said it.
Even the Marines in that world were different because of Robert.
Sengoku refused to believe it.
But…
If Robert was really that persuasive, then how had he convinced Luffy?
There was no way Garp's grandson would just agree to become a Marine.
Even his grandfather couldn't force him.
What had Robert said to change his mind?
Sengoku folded his arms.
"Fine. Let's see how you handle this, Robert."
With narrowed eyes, he focused on the screen.
End of the Chapter.